The Changing Face of Texas the Changing Face of Texas

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Why It Matters Now Mexicans, Germans, and other 2 The Changing Face of Texas European and U.S. immigrants have had a strong influence on Texas. TERMS & NAMES OBJECTIVES MAIN IDEA Juan Cortina, John O. 1. Analyze the reasons immigrant groups The population of Texas continued Meusebach, famine, came to Texas and where they settled. to grow during the 1840s and Henri Castro, removal 2. Describe how migration from the United 1850s. Settlers from the United States to Texas influenced the Texas States as well as Europe came population in the 1850s. to Texas in search of land and 3. Explain how migration to Texas influ- opportunity. enced Texas culture.

WHAT Would You Do? Imagine that you have traveled to the United States from another Write your response country. You have heard of the prosperity the new state of Texas offers. to Interact with History Along with others from your native country, you go to Texas and decide in your Texas Notebook. to form your own town. How would you go about establishing it? What would your town be named? What would it look like? How would the town reflect your culture?

A Changing Population The annexation of Texas opened the doors for new kinds of settlers. As a result, the population of Texas changed dramatically in the years following annexation. According to the U.S. census, over 212,000 people lived in Texas in 1850. By 1860 the number had increased to over 604,000. Anglo Americans made up most of Texas’s population. How- ever, many other groups also came to Texas. At the same time, many Native Texans were being forced out of the state. Why did people come to Texas? Land and a sense of adventure were some reasons. Others came looking for political freedom or to escape problems in their homelands. Because they came from many back- grounds, these new immigrants created a varied culture in Texas. Migration from the United States Most of the new Texans emigrated from the United States, mostly from the South. Some families moved west one state per generation, following the expanding American frontier. Others leapfrogged over several states at a time. During the 1850s many immigrants came from Arkansas, Louisiana, Tennessee, and Alabama. These settlers generally 1850s advertisement moved directly to the frontier line. There they could farm as they had at

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Cultures and Settlement in Texas, 1820–1860

Jefferson La Reunión (Dallas) Tyler MOVEMENT Why would thousands of peo- Nacogdoches ple from Europe move to Texas? The answer is opportunity. N Fredericksburg Austin Land was scarce in Europe, New Braunfels Houston and it was difficult to make Comfort San Felipe a living. Also, some fled San Antonio Castroville Victoria Galveston failed revolutions in Europe in Panna Maria Velasco 1848 and 1849. These “Forty- Refugio Anglo and African Mexican American Karlshafen (Indianola) Eighters” supported constitu- American (enslaved) San Patricio tional government and human Czech Mixed Corpus Christi rights. Moving to Texas was French/ Alsatian Native American Laredo 0 100 Miles risky, but the new land offered German Norwegian 0 200 Kilometers a chance for people to have Irish Polish ● Brownsville better lives. What countries did European immigrants to Texas come from? ▲ Some immigrants traveled to Texas looking for the land and opportunity Texas had to offer. ● What groups were living in your area during this period?

their previous homes. Immigrants from Georgia and Mississippi usually settled in the pine belt of East Texas and cleared land for cotton crops. Louisianians settled mainly in the lower regions of rivers near the coast, where they grew sugar cane. People tended to settle in areas that were similar to their former homes. Mexican Texans The census of 1850 did not measure the number of Mexican Texans in the state. However, historians suggest that there may have been 23,000 Tejanos. Most Mexican Texans lived in or near San Antonio, between the Nueces River and the Rio Grande, or along the Rio Grande from west of Big Bend to El Paso. Some Tejanos, such as José Antonio Navarro, owned successful cattle or sheep ranches or businesses. Others worked as sheepherders, cowhands, or ranch laborers. Some Tejanos became concerned that Anglo American settlers were becoming more influential than the Tejanos, who had lived in Texas much longer. Juan Cortina, who operated a ranch near Brownsville, believed Tejanos were not being treated fairly. He argued that some Anglo Americans had taken land from Tejanos who were unfamiliar with the U.S. court system. Cortina resisted the growing power of Anglo Americans by carrying out acts of violence against corrupt officials. These ▲ Juan Cortina was viewed by some actions became known as the Cortina War. Cortina’s supporters as a hero fighting for the rights numbered as many as 400 by the end of 1859. In 1861 he was defeated of Mexican Texans. His guerilla warfare, however, earned him many by Confederate captain Santos Benavides. His actions left Mexican and enemies, including the Texas Anglo Texans suspicious of each other. Despite prejudices against them, Rangers and the Union and Confederate armies. ● How did his Mexican Americans continued to have a strong influence on the econ- geographic location help him evade omy, art, culture, and language of Texas. capture for so many years?

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German Texans During the 1840s and 1850s Texas also attracted immigrants from To The Arts Europe. By 1860 more than 43,000 people born outside of the United Since 1853 German Texans States lived in Texas. Germans made up the largest number of these have celebrated Saengerfest, a settlers. Although some Germans came to Texas seeking political or reli- German singing festival. Saeng- gious freedom, others arrived in search of economic opportunities. Many erfest is an opportunity for Ger- settlers from Germany came to Texas as part of an organized effort by man Texans to celebrate their the Adelsverein (ah•DELLS•vehr•ine), or the Society for the Protection heritage and show their musical of German Immigrants in Texas. talent. The tradition continues and offers activities not only for Nobleman Otfried Hans, Freiherr von Meusebach, served as a leader German Texans but also for the for German settlers. In his new home, he dropped his title and changed whole community. ● Why do you his name to John O. Meusebach. Meusebach brought more than 2,000 think some German settlements German settlers to New Braunfels. He then founded other communities were successful? to the north and west, including Fredericksburg. Other Immigrants from Europe The Irish and English were the second and third largest groups of Europeans to settle in Texas. Irish empresarios had received grants under Spain and were active in the Texas Revolution. In 1845 many Irish fled their homeland because a disease attacked Ireland’s main food crop, the potato, causing a famine. By 1850 there were 1,403 Irish settlers in Texas. The number increased to 3,480 by 1860. Many Irish immigrants settled around San Patricio and Refugio. famine a severe food shortage Settlers also came from France. Henri (enh•REE) Castro founded a colony named Castroville along the Medina River. The colony’s settlers, who came from the German-speaking French province of Alsace (ahl•SASS), were often mistaken for Germans. Frederick Law Olmsted, a travel book writer, described the village:

TEXAS VOICES The cottages are scattered prettily, and there are two churches—the whole aspect being as far from Texans as possible....How delighted and astonished many a traveler must have been, on arriving from the plains at this first village, to find ...French neatness, French furniture, delicious French beds. Frederick Law Olmsted, A Journey Through Texas

▲ The town of Castroville was founded in 1844 by Henri Castro and is located 25 miles west of San Antonio. ● Why do you think Texas was so attractive to immigrants?

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Texas settlers came from almost every nation in Europe. Polish immigrants led by Father Leopold Moczygemba (moh•chee•GHEM•bah) settled in the town of Panna Maria in Karnes County. Ernst Bergman Lost Names and Josef Lesikar led a large group of Czechs into Central Texas. Immigrants from Sweden, Norway, Italy, and the Netherlands also When Native Americans were arrived in large numbers during the 1850s. moved to reservations, the United States tried to take a census. Mistakes in recording Native Texans names were made because many Native American nations President Lamar had forced most Native Texans out of East Texas did not have written alphabets. during the years of the Republic. His policy was called the removal of Government officials could not the Native Texans. However, many Comanches and Kiowas still lived in pronounce or spell the names, the western part of the state. The growing population of Texas spread so they recorded a name that, to them, seemed similar and even farther west onto Native Texans’ hunting land. This loss of land easier to spell. ● What impact increased tensions with native groups. may this misrecording of infor- The U.S. Army established a line of military posts from Fort Worth mation have had on some to Eagle Pass. These forts served as a buffer between Native Texans and Native American families? settlers. The westward movement of settlements soon left these posts behind. In the 1850s seven new forts were established farther west. At the suggestion of the U.S. agent in Texas, Robert S. Neighbors, removal forcing Native the Texas government passed a bill that set aside land for Native Texan Americans to move to reservations reservations. In 1854 Neighbors set out to find locations for the reservations. The Brazos Reservation, close to Fort Belknap (in present-day Young County), was established for Tawakonis, Wacos, and Tonkawas. The Clear Fork Reservation was founded farther west, on the Brazos River (in present-day Throckmorton County). Some Native Texans who had roamed freely refused to live within the borders of the reservations. Often these boundaries were crossed by settlers. Within a few years, even these small reservations were gone, and most Native Texans were forced to move out of the state.

2 Terms & Names Organizing Information Critical Thinking Interact with History Identify: Use a cluster map like the 1. Why did many immigrant Review your response to • Juan Cortina one below to list the groups groups come to Texas? Interact with History in • John O. Meusebach that settled in Texas during 2. Why do you think Texas your Texas Notebook. How •famine the 1850s. appealed to a large do you think a European •removal number of Anglo immigrant’s experience American settlers? settling in Texas was NEW 3. How are the influences of different from an SETTLERS American’s? IN TEXAS various immigrant groups reflected in Texas’s culture?

ACTIVITY As a class, divide into two groups, one favoring rural life and the other supporting urban life. Debate Economics the advantages and disadvantages of each lifestyle.

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